The report, which you can read in full here, found 86 per cent of all Australians thought the relationship between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people was important.

However it also found that:

35 per cent of people believe Australia is a racist country;

33 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people had experienced verbal racist abuse in the past six months; and

only 30 per cent of the general population socialises with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

4.04pm on Feb 9, 2016

"We're basically just changing the tablecloth on a table without really realising that the white ants are eating the legs out of the table, and we have to restructure the whole nature of our relationship," Mr Dodson said.

Mr Dodson accused Mr Turnbull of showing scant interest in the area: "I think it's a problem if the leader of the country is not paying attention to these significant issues that are affecting Indigenous peoples in this country."

Opposition leader Bill Shorten greets Professor Tom Calma at the State of Reconciliation report launch in Canberra on Tuesday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

3.58pm on Feb 9, 2016

Tomorrow Mr Turnbull will deliver the annual update to Parliament on indigenous policy. It's referred to as the 'Closing the gap' address because it is a progress report on various indicators such as life expectancy, high school retention, infant mortality and health.

Earlier this morning Yawuru leader Patrick Dodson questioned whether there was any point continuing with the policy.

"There's a lot of aspiration and maybe good intention, but unless you get participation from Indigenous entities at a local level and community level, it's not going to work," Mr Dodson said.

3.40pm on Feb 9, 2016

Time for a quick zip through the stories that were happening while we were in question time.

ABC managing director Mark Scott during an estimates hearing at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

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3.17pm on Feb 9, 2016

There are a lot of similarities between the situation of Mr Brough and Mr Robert in terms of how the opposition is playing this in question time.

What is different is the defence of Mr Robert. Whereas the government's defence of Mr Brough was, at best, half hearted, it is more forthcoming on behalf of Mr Robert. Mr Pyne has been frequently asking for the opposition's questions to be ruled out of order and there has been a bit of a show of ministers walking into question time with Mr Robert.

Human Services Minister Stuart Robert leaves the chamber after question time on Tuesday.Credit:Andrew Meares

3.13pm on Feb 9, 2016

And again Mr Shorten has a go at Mr Turnbull.

Mr Turnbull, again, fires up and says the government "will not be lectured on integrity and accountability by that opposition".

Shades of Julia Gillard.

Human Services Minister Stuart Robert during question time on Tuesday.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen

3.06pm on Feb 9, 2016

Mr Shorten says Mr Robert has clearly breached ministerial standards and asks Mr Turnbull why Mr Robert is still on the front bench.

Mr Turnbull is having none of it.

He says he acted swiftly to refer to matter to the appropriate person for investigation and says he is "not going to deviate from the proper course of action let alone be lectured by someone who sold some of the lowest paid workers in Australia down the river".